


Erdan's First Kill

by hbxplain



Series: More Lives Than One [2]
Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game), More Lives Than One, Original Work
Genre: Erdan Kills A Guy And Regrets Approximately Nothing, Erdan's Backstory, Erdan's POV, Gen, Murder, Written By Drake
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-29
Updated: 2019-08-29
Packaged: 2020-09-28 22:40:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20433638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hbxplain/pseuds/hbxplain
Summary: Erdan kills a man.





	Erdan's First Kill

**Author's Note:**

> Another reminder: this is for our DnD campaign MLTO, and the full campaign can be found on the wattpad account "stormcause"!

Crouching upon a roof in the city of Hampford, Erdan Liadan thinks back to what has brought him here. About eight months ago, Erdan was a simple elf trying to stay alive. Stealing most everything he had; trying to start a farm and settle down. Recently having been driven out of his original home for reasons untold, Erdan was living in a town of humans and halflings. He had found a cozy cabin outside of town that reminded him of home.   
Erdan had found himself on one of his usual stealing sprees when he happened upon a halfling with a bowler cap and a cane with a sizable ruby on it. The wealth emanating from the halfling was too big an opportunity for Erdan to pass up so he stalked the halfling back to an abandoned windmill. There Erdan found the reason of the wealth. The windmill was full of banned goods. A gang hideout full of halflings and humans is what the elf found that night. Erdan carefully avoided lookouts and, only when necessary, knocked a few unconscious. When Erdan sneaked into the office of what he assumed was the boss of the HalfWits as everyone in Hampford called them. Erdan was able to pick the lock of a chest and steal not only money but a very interesting amulet. As he went to leave Bert Broadhammer the halfling caught him and raised the alarm; with a few scrapes and an arrow in his side Erdan had barely made it out with his life. Events passed and the price for stealing from Bert proved to be too great for Erdan. Bert had killed to get that stupid amulet back. After drinking himself to alcohol poisoning, a human with roguelike qualities saved him. Mort told Erdan about a sure way to get revenge, join the Assassin Guild and kill Bert. Pulling him from his memories Erdan spots the man he has been waiting for.   
The tavern was the biggest in town, it had a lively atmosphere and plenty to drink. As the man he had been stalking turned from his friends and headed down the street, Erdan follows from the rooftops. The man on the ground is wearing a leather vest and a grey cloak with a feather in his hat. Erdan observes how cautious his prey is trying to be backtracking and taking crazy turns, but never looking up to see the shadow that is following with ease. As the man finally relaxes and heads into the home of a well known politician Erdan puts the pieces together. For months Bert has been on the run, once he realized the Assassin’s Guild had put a bounty on his head. The assassins wondered how he was able to control his gang while in hiding, but a corrupt politician was a great way to keep a presence on the streets without leaving his safe house. Erdan calculates the many entryways he could use and which would be most guarded. Decision made, Erdan pulls his hood tighter and then leaps onto the house. Finding an unlocked window he slips into the house making no noise. To his left is a long hallway with many doors and to his right is a staircase that went down several feet before turning and continuing down. In front of him is a guard leaning heavily on a spear in front of an elaborate door painted white with gold trim. Erdan quietly takes the guard by surprise stabbing into the heart with one hand while the other gags any death sounds. As Erdan shoves the body aside he pulls out a lockpick and goes to work. With little difficulty the door swings open to show a room full of velvet, with a bed in the center and a small desk by the window on the left wall. Laying there was not a halfling but a man of pale color and a small crop of grey hair. Erdan quickly stalks up to the man and punches the man in the stomach before placing a dagger to the man's throat and holding a finger to his mouth.   
The man whispers with terror on his voice “What do you want? My gold is downstairs in a safe the combination is 6380. Please do not kill me.” Erdan just stares at the man with eyes full of anger.   
As if breathing the words Erdan replies “Where is the halfling called Bert Broadhammer? Tell me and you shall be spared.” Releasing the pressure of the dagger slightly Erdan waits for a response.  
The politician replies with a look of shock and exasperation, “I do not know where he is and if I did I could not tell you or he would kill me!”   
Erdan lets the dagger nick the neck of the man and hisses, “You will be dead if you do not tell me.”  
The politician reluctantly says, “He went back to the windmill today to clear out the rest of his stock. If you go now he should still be there.”   
“How do I know you are not lying?”  
“You will just have to trust me.”  
Erdan gives the politician a smile, before removing the dagger from the man's throat. As he turns to leave he makes one last retort.  
“I trust that your word rings true, but unfortunately mine does not.” With those last words Erdan flings the dagger into the nick he made earlier. Leaving his calling card, a dagger with a crescent moon carved in its hilt, that the town would soon associate with an assassin named the Shadow of the Moon. Erdan slips out of the room and heads downstairs where there are two guards in front of the safe the politician spoke of. The guards down here were more alert than the first one and Erdan needed a plan to get rid of them. Thinking quickly Erdan slinks back upstairs and dons the blood soaked armor and clothes of the guard and stumbles downstairs with pain in his voice Erdan limps the the guards urging them to help. As the first guard comes close to examine him Erdan stabs and twists his dagger in the stomach of the guard. The second guard pulls out his sword and attacks , but hits his friend as Erdan shoves the dead man at his companion. Gaining the upper hand Erdan kicks the sword away and once again snuffs out the light of another being. With no remorse Erdan steals the money and hastily leaves the house by walking out the front door and telling the guards posted there that an intruder was in the building and they needed reinforcements. Without hesitation the men ran inside letting Erdan walk out with a large amount of gold and a stride full of purpose.  
It took Erdan thirty minutes to reach the windmill which looked like a hornets nest with many goons loading carts with stolen or banned goods. As Erdan watches an idea comes to mind. Like a shadow in the night Erdan sneaks to the cart in the front of the line and with flint and steel starts a fire. As the fire grows goons rush forward to save the cart. With a fury Erdan swiftly lights cart after cart with flint and steel at first then ramming a cart ablaze into several others. The confusion keeping him hidden, he pretends to be helping while sabotaging any effort to save the burning goods. With most of the carts ablaze, Erdan leaves the fires to burn and climbs the windmill. At the top their is window to let the sun in. Erdan, with reckless abandon, jumps through the window and rolls to a crouch, shards of glass covering the ground.  
Like months before Erdan traces a path to the room where this nightmare started. The chest is open its contents mostly gone and there is a halfling wearing a bowler cap in the room with a rapier at his side and a cane forgotten on the floor. He was bent over prying open a loose floorboard. Erdan makes sure to alert Bert of his presence.  
“I was wondering when you would find me. You have murdered all of my associates and brought my business into shambles. I assume you even killed my politician friend that kept me out of trouble. Now w hi o are you Shadow of the Moon and why have you grieved me so?”  
As Bert turns around a flash of surprise runs across his face before draining of all color.  
“No, it can not be. That was long ago.” Bert stutters out.  
“Do you remember what you took from me? Do you know how it feels to lose everything? Was it worth it? I hope you have settled your debts with the gods for I am here to send you to them.” Erdan spits at the halfling. With the last few words Erdan pulls out two daggers.   
Bert draws his rapier and spits back, “You should not have stolen from me. You paid the consequences. How does it feel to know you caused their deaths?”  
Anger finally overtaking him, Erdan runs toward the halfling slashing in a complex series with his two daggers. The halfling parries the onslaught of blows backing away. Once Bert hits the wall he pushes off and starts his attack finding purchase in Erdan’s shoulder and his left leg. Erdan seems not to notice and flips a dagger to change the direction of the blade. With resurging fury Erdan starts on the attack once more making huge arcs and then quick jabs throwing every bit of strength into each blow. This flurry of blows gives Erdan just enough advantage to slash at Bert’s sword arm and disarm the halfling. Gripping his already bloody arm Bert looking desperate goes to his knees.   
“Mercy! Please! Elves are known for there honor and kindness. You would not kill a disarmed and disabled foe.” Bert pleas.  
Eyes cold and heart dark Erdan walks over and picks up the rapier finding it to be perfectly balanced and well made. “ There was no mercy for me. There was no honor or kindness for a fool like me. You could start praying, but I fear the gods no longer hear. Know that I am not an elf but a shadow that watches in the night and devours those who I desire. Your death will be just the beginning, for there are many like you in this world. I will find every last one of them and kill them or die trying.” With finality Erdan shoves the rapier through the halfling and let's it stay there before dragging it out slowly and letting the tip of the blade point down. Taking the ruby off the cane Erdan stabs the bowler cap to the wall with another signature dagger. The Shadow of the Moon has struck with a keen ferocity noticed by only a few.  
This was his first kill for the assassins guild, but definitely not his last. He had a reputation to build, money to make, a life to lose, and memories to forget.


End file.
